The Pure Mile

The Pure Mile

The Pure Mile is an environmental initiative of The Pure (Protecting Uplands and Rural Environments) Project which aims to foster a greater appreciation and awareness of our country roadscapes by rewarding and acknowledging local community efforts.

The competition encourages communities and groups living in rural areas to adopt a mile stretch of road (approx. 1.6 km), and keep this area litter/rubbish free, research information about their local wildflowers, trees, animals, built/social/cultural heritage, history, and the folklore. The Pure Mile is the perfect opportunity for communities and groups who want to improve and enhance the areas they live in, and recreate in. The Pure Mile Short Film captures each of the 24 areas that took part in the 2014 Pure Mile. It gives a glimpse of the unique beauty of each area and the work communities do to enhance the area they live in.

The PURE Mile 2014 Short Film

Here is a short film on the 2016 Pure Mile Awards Night.

A large number of communities go the extra mile by repairing and painting old traditional gates, cleaning up farmlands and entrances, erecting bat and bird boxes, trimming hedges (outside of bird nesting season) and much more. In Miles where very little physical management is required, groups can focus on local research, or, on initiatives to increase awareness and appreciation of the Mile to the wider community.

The Pure Mile is open to all types of communities, groups and organisations

A group of people living along the Mile or people from the area

Community or residents group

Primary and Secondary School Students, e.g., a class project on their local area, a clean up project, a natural or built heritage feature, a social history project, etc.

Special Interest Groups, i.e., walking groups, cycling groups, scout groups, businesses, and many more, can adopt a mile of road in the uplands and organise a number of litter picks

All work is carried out after entering the competition

There are a number of awards

Best Pure Mile (Overall Award)

Best Litter Free Mile

Best Anti-Dumping Initiative

Best Clean Up The Uplands

Best Community Effort

Best Education Award

Best Natural Heritage Mile

Best Built/Social/Cultural Heritage Mile

Groups can enter all of the above categories, or they can just enter one of the categories, e.g. Best Litter Free Mile, Best Anti-Dumping Initiative, etc. Other awards maybe be added, or awards maybe altered

A selection of photographs from each area will area feature in The Pure Mile Calendar. The overall winner will receive €1,000 and The Best Litter Free Mile, Best Anti-Dumping Initiative and Best Clean Up The Uplands receive €500, and each of the other award winners will receive €300.

You can apply on line or you can request a Pure Mile Information Booklet and Application Form by emailing Pure at info@pureproject.ie or phone 0404 45547 or write to the below address;